AFTER an opening day defeat for Burntwood in the league, they bounced back with a victory a week later.
Skipper Jack Johnson returned to action to lead his side to a 22-19 win at Newport (Salop) 2nds.
The Old Showground has proved a happy hunting ground for Burntwood as they have won on their last four visits there.
The match featured a clear contrast in playing styles with the youthful home side looking dangerous every time they moved the ball wide, whereas the visitors clearly had the advantage in the forward battle, particularly in the set scrums.
Newport showed their quality as early as the second minute to take the lead. Winning turnover possession and then a penalty, they took the line-out option and moved the ball swiftly left to right for an unconverted try in the corner.
Penalty infringements were keeping the visitors pinned in their own half until the 15th minute when they were presented with a gift try to take the lead. From their first venture into the home half, a penalty kick to the corner missed touch, but as the Newport backs tried to run from deep, Alfie Broadhurst intercepted to cross unopposed and his conversion put Burntwood ahead 7-5.
Close to the half-hour mark, a second trip to the home 22 saw skipper Johnson launch a catch and drive from a line-out which Luke Rookyard finished off for the score. Broadhurst added a thumping conversion from wide out.
A similar performance made it 19-5 close to half time. Johnson won another close-range line-out after a penalty kick had earned position courtesy of a dominant scrummage. The drive followed, but this time it was Neil Holden who forced his way through three defenders to reach the line. Broadhurst's conversion attempt rebounded off the far post.
Early penalty awards to the hosts in the second period put Burntwood under pressure, but Dan Clements carried well out of defence to end one attack – and then his forwards pushed Newport off their own scrummage put-in when they threatened again.
However, with just seven minutes gone, despite the home scrum being under pressure again, they managed to work the ball out right for a well-taken try. A fine conversion made it 19-12.
Just as they got back into the game, the hosts lost a player to a yellow card with half an hour left to play. The home backs were caught offside at a set scrum and Broadhurst made no mistake with the kick at goal for a ten-point lead.
As the home pressure mounted, Clements gained important turnover possession in his own 22 to halt a promising attack and then the hosts missed a scoring chance close to the hour mark due to a knock-on.
Five minutes later, Johnson seemed to have secured the bonus point try after his side worked their way downfield via two penalty awards. However, the match official adjudged that he had been held up on the line.
There was increasing jeopardy for Burntwood when Tom Shorrock was given a yellow card with just over ten minutes left. However, they almost increased their lead when Sean Brennan got close to the try line from a close-range line-out.
With five minutes left, Newport took advantage of Shorrock's absence by winning a scrum on their own ten-metre line and the outside half sped away to the posts for a fine individual try which was converted.
With time running out, the hosts tried to run possession from their own 22 but a forward pass stopped the move. With Shorrock restored to action, Burntwood were able to camp in the home 22 until the final whistle.
Elsewhere, Burntwood 2nds added to the buoyant mood in the club by beating Telford Hornets 2nds 34-24.
Tries came from joint men-of-the-match skipper Dan Black and Danny Hackett plus Sam Mason, Sam Hull, Kyle Westwood and Henry McLean. Matt Wenlock-Evans added two conversions.
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